Marketing is set to offer some of the highest-paying jobs in 2020. Marketing managers, for example, are currently making $147,240 per year, CNBC reports. If you’re a finance professional considering making a career change into marketing, it’s possible to make a smooth and successful transition. Although seemingly disparate industries, marketing and finance involve similar skills — the ability to forecast volume and profitability and track KPIs, for example, is required in both sectors. Focus on your transferable skills, such as communication, analytics and data skills, and corporate leadership skills, and tailor your resume to highlight these strengths.
Communication skills
As a finance professional, you already understand how important strong communication skills are for the job. Whether you’re presenting a proposal to an investor, board, or major prospect, you need to break down complex information simply for your audience to understand. Similarly, marketing relies on excellent communication skills — whether your crafting ad copy, creating multimedia campaigns, or writing budget proposals.
Marketing, at its core, is a type of professional communication. It involves understanding your target customer and convincing them to purchase a product or service. And, since marketing is a team effort, you’ll also need strong oral communication skills to succeed within the company. Highlighting the communication skills you’ve developed in your finance career will make it easier for you to make a career switch in mid-life. Switching jobs may seem difficult, but people make 11.7 career changes between the ages of 18 and 48 on average. Taking pride in your financial background experience and transferable strengths will help you stand out to employers.
Analytics and data skills
The analytics and data skills utilised in your financial career will also come in useful in marketing — an industry depends on collecting and analysing customer data throughout the buyer’s journey. With this information, analytic experts are expected to optimise sales funnels, attract customers, and increase conversions. For example, an email subject line that performs 5% better than a different one could mean the difference between the company making $5,000 and $10,000. As an analytic expert, it’s your job to analyse data, spot oversights, and devise innovative solutions that increase the company’s bottom line.
Corporate leadership skills
If you have experience in corporate leadership, you may be a perfect candidate for a chief experience officer position — a relatively new marketing job set to be in high demand in 2020. Chief experience officers have become increasingly important due to the need for company’s to create outstanding customer experiences. Customers now consider brand experience even more influential than product or price on their purchasing decisions. Chief experience officers work to devise consumer-focused strategies that deliver fantastic customer experience. Experience in corporate leadership and a track record of customer loyalty and retention can set you in good stead for this role.
Marketing is a booming industry, and there’s never been a better time to make a career switch. With a little patience and hard work, you’ll be able to make the transition from finance to marketing this year.
